A Handsome K*nky Gangster Reporter - Chapter 86

#86

Hailey observed Emily’s face. Her instincts might be right. Hailey promptly rose from her seat.

Emily took off her coat and hung it on the wall before sitting on the sofa. This time, she wore genuine diamond jewelry. Despite choosing to be a courtesan, she seemed to have adapted well.

“Marry, could you make me a cup of tea? I brought some popular flower tea from abroad recently as a gift.”

Handing Marry a bottle of imported tea, Emily adjusted her earrings and said, “Hailey, I want to find my biological family.”

Hailey furrowed her brow, feeling puzzled by what she heard. She then asked her friend, “Sorry, what did you say earlier?”

Emily smiled and replied clearly, “I want to find my biological family.”

“Don’t you already have a family? There’s a younger brother who just spends your money, a weak mother, and a younger sister who works in the city…”

Hailey paused for a moment, then Emily took off the white lace gloves she was wearing and placed them on the small table next to the sofa. She sighed softly.

“I was abandoned in front of a house when I was little. My mother saved an orphaned child who was almost dying. I’ve lived to repay that debt to my family.”

Emily didn’t resemble her family at all. She was the result of her mother’s clandestine affair with a man from a neighboring village. After that, her mother remarried, and her second husband even passed away due to illness when Emily’s siblings were still young.

So, she could indeed be the girl sought after in the advertisement. The newspaper didn’t fully mention who her father or mother was. Perhaps her biological father, who was poor in his youth, had become wealthy due to recent business ventures… maybe.

Of course, Emily felt no need to explain her situation in detail to Hailey. So, she added a small lie. “If that’s what you want, I can arrange a meeting with the person who placed the advertisement. But they’re likely meeting others too, who have the same determination to find their family.”

Hailey was a bit suspicious of Emily. She sounded very cold and formal. After glancing at the wall clock briefly, Hailey stood up from the sofa.

“I have an appointment with the next client. I’ll send a letter to your residence later. We can schedule a meeting then.”

“Oh… Alright. Please let me know later.”

Hailey escorted Emily out of the office earlier than usual. Emily, with a slightly anxious expression, quickly left the newspaper office. About an hour later, Emily found out the reason Hailey had dismissed her.

“What? Was she the one who placed the advertisement to find her child?”

It didn’t make sense to her.

After a brief disappointment, Emily quickly considered her situation. She suddenly spotted someone she knew passing by the bakery on the ground floor and hurriedly approached them.

“Oh, Madame Ferronel. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Emily. Long time no see.”

Emily, surprised to meet the renowned courtesan in such an unexpected place, hugged her politely. They exchanged a brief cheek kiss and spoke for a moment.

“We have a book that will be published in the Golden Wild Goose Daily magazine this time, so I just came to check. Is there anything I can assist you with here?”

“I’m just meeting a friend. I planned to buy some bread, but it’s nice to see you here. Glad to catch you outside.”

“Oh, I see. I have to go because I’m busy. See you at the boutique.”

“Yes, of course. See you there.”

After the polite exchange, they parted ways. What was odd, though, was that Emily carefully followed Madame Ferronel from behind. Listening to the conversation between Hailey and Madame outside the office, Emily learned that Madame Ferronel was the one who had placed the advertisement.

“I am not my biological father’s child.”

She hadn’t expected this. The disappointment was fleeting.

Emily’s mind raced.

She remembered that recently Madame Ferronel had chosen to marry the Earl of Madison. If she could become his daughter, she could erase her identity as the Earl’s illegitimate child.

“The tests conducted in the church aren’t always accurate.”

And if necessary, it was a way to buy the church’s priest with money.

She felt this current situation was a God-given opportunity.

***

The wall clock showed 3 PM. Madame Ferronel, who was always punctual, was running late today. After handing over the newspaper copy to Phillip, I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes, feeling relieved that the day’s work was done.

“Phillip, next time, send someone else. You don’t need to come all this way for these things,” I said.

He was the leader of a secret organization and, as it turned out, also the owner of the Hyrun Casino. Someone like him didn’t need to be involved in such minor tasks.

“If I have to do things like this, I get to see Hailey’s face every day.”

Ever since I saw that strange vision, I’ve felt awkward around Phillip. Unlike the other people I saw in that vision, Phillip didn’t ask anything of me. But strangely, every time I saw him, I felt a suffocating discomfort. At the same time, I also felt guilty for doubting his pure affection for me.

Back then, all three men had called me Gloria. Maybe the necklace in my desk drawer is telling me that the ending might change depending on who the heroine chooses?

‘But oddly enough, there doesn’t seem to be a connection between the heroine and Phillip.’

It’s really strange. Claude had a childhood connection with Gloria and was her first love. And I had witnessed Prince Edmund meeting Gloria by the fountain on that fateful day.

As for Ciel… he only visited Baron Stephen’s house occasionally to see me. There didn’t seem to be any further encounters with Gloria. Or maybe he has secretly been involved with Gloria behind my back?

While I was lost in these thoughts, I felt a warm and gentle touch on the back of my hand. When I looked up, Phillip was already kissing the back of my hand.

“I’m going now. Hailey. See you tomorrow.”

He left the office with a gaze full of lingering affection, and Anna and Marry, who had been watching anxiously, clicked their tongues in frustration.

“Ah, why doesn’t he express his feelings more clearly?”

“Maybe he’s just shy?”

“He’s been like this since I started working here. If he keeps this up, I’m worried the boss will get tired and fall for someone else.”

Anna, cautiously observing Marry, shared her opinion.

“I think the blonde guy we saw at the P&P costume shoot would suit the boss better.”

“Anna, do you prefer bad boys? Those playboys change their minds quickly. Even if he’s a bit frustrating, someone like Phillip is better. Let’s exclude Claude; he’s not charming.”

“Still, if he meets his fated partner, he might not change…”

“Change? Not a chance. A dog doesn’t stop from its mess.”

Meanwhile, I didn’t pay much attention to the staff’s conversation. I looked at them with a vague expression and then remembered.

‘Oh, I need to return the necklace to Ciel.’

I felt uncomfortable keeping such an expensive item in the office. I needed to return it to its owner as soon as possible.

‘When should I return it?’

It seemed too costly to send someone else with it. I should hand it over personally. Carefully, I opened the drawer and slightly opened the necklace box. Even in this modest place, the gem inside shone brilliantly. I remembered fainting after touching it last time.

‘It must have been due to overwork.’

Although it was probably a coincidence, I felt apprehensive about touching the necklace again. I closed the box and moved to the window to see if anyone was coming. Today, I needed to inform Madame Ferronel about the people likely to be her daughter and also recommend someone I wanted her to meet personally.

‘When talking to Emily, Gloria somehow came to mind. Considering the story’s coherence, Gloria might be Madame’s biological daughter.’

Although the novel had been discontinued for a long time, I thought the heroine of this world would likely have such a dramatic birth secret.

As the staff continued their pointless debate about which man suited me best, they checked the time and started preparing to leave with their notebooks and bags.

“Boss, I’m going to the police station to check for any special incidents.”

Marry had grown enough to look for news on her own, and it seemed Anna was inspired by Marry’s initiative. Anna went to verify the truth of the letters received by the newspaper. It was nice to see them actively pursuing news.

“I’ll also go check the reports that came in today.”

“Go to the site and leave after your work is done. Don’t come back to the office. Thanks for all your hard work today.”

Even though they might find excuses to go enjoy themselves, that’s part of the thrilling and enjoyable aspects of working in this field. I encouraged them to leave early.

‘I need to hire more journalists.’

With our newspaper spreading across the Morris Empire, we were receiving reports about local officials’ corruption and sensational stories from the nobility. Many stories came from areas far from the capital, so we needed journalists specializing in fieldwork. Spending money on expensive information agencies wasn’t ideal. It would be better to hire a few more journalists. Just as I was thinking about this.

“Sorry, I’m late!”

Madame Ferronel arrived at the office, flustered. She looked hurried, with her hair slightly disheveled and some strands falling out. Her usually crisp skirt was also wrinkled. Her unusual appearance was startling.

“It’s okay. I was working too.”